Colopopo Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 I have search relentlessly and haven't found the exact answer. Allow me to introduce my self, my name is Nick and I'm in Colorado. Recently picked up a 1948 special deluxe sedan. I love the car I have redone most of the interior and pulled the original 218 that was stuck. Picked up a 230 and transmission for $200. The engine had a broken ring land, replaced the piston honed re ringed and new bearings. I used the 230 4 bolt fly wheel. My problem now is the starter is having issues meshing with the flywheel. I have the starter that came with the engine but it is a foot operated stater and won't work in my car. The 218 starter doesn't have the length to contact the flywheel. So my real question is will a 230 car starter fix my problems? If so I can't find one to save my life. Napa, car quest, no one carries any remanufactued units. Anyone have any leads?? I appreciate this site and all the help it has to offer! Thanks Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P15-D24 Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Think your going to need a passenger car 230 flywheel to get the correct offset for the starter. Then flywheel hubs have different amounts of relief to correctly position the flywheel. Hollanders Interchange manual confirms '46-'55 Dodge and Plymouth use the same starter and they have different flywheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colopopo Posted July 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Well that's not good. I will start the search for that as well. Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 (edited) The Crank shaft flange for the 230 is a bit thicker than the 218. And though the flywheel for the 218 will fit, it is that much further away from the starter. I did a similar swap and since my 218 engine still wears its flywheel, I must have used the flywheel from the 230 for the install. If you have he 230 flywheel you may see that where it mounts to the flange it might be machined to accommodate the different thickness of the flange in order to index it properly to the starter. One member here had his bellhousing machined to bring the starter in closer to the flywheel. But that would be difficult to do with the bell in the car. I wonder if there may be enough meat on the starter body to machine the starter to gain a bit if you do not find a swap of flywheel is necessary or something you want to under take. Edited July 17, 2013 by greg g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 I had the same issue and pictured is my fix. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colopopo Posted July 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 I used a grinder on the face of the starter and shaved it down about an 8th of an inch an was able to turn the motor over half a revolution or so. Maybe having it milled flat would be the ticket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarer Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 The flanges are approximately the same thickness on the 218 and the 230+ engines, the difference is in the amount that the flange projects past the face of the block; 1"+/- for the 201-208-218 (US engines) and 1.1875" +/- for everything else. Either use the correct flywheel for the crankshaft or modify the bell as shown in the photos. Either way, make a note somewhere as to what/why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarerstranger Posted July 20, 2013 Report Share Posted July 20, 2013 Is this a late 54 or later Plymouth 230 ? those had a fly wheel .... if it were a Dodge 230 the flywheel would be attached to the fluid drive unit ? U can`t bolt a F.D. Transmisson to a 218 with a 4 hole crank even if u drill 4 more holes it will be to close to the back of the engine , u could make a spacer to go between the 2 to make up the difference. i installed in my 49 PLymouth Woodie a 54 Plymouth 230 with the 230 fly wheel with a standard 3 speed transmission no problems . but when you use a 218 fly wheel on a dodge 230 with a standard non F.D. transmission the starter which are all the same " i have a few dozen of them ' will not reach , it will have to have surgery . r we confused yet ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR-39D11 Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Confused, yes. I'm having to deal with the similar issue at the moment. I have a 39 D11 with a toasted engine. I found a 230 donor from a 1950 truck to turn my 218 into a 230. The flywheel ring gear from the 230 needs to be replaced and I want to use my original starter. What should I do? Do I try to find a 218 flywheel ring gear, will it fit or do I go with a direct 230 replacement and do I need to do any fabing to get it to work. I could also use a lead on finding the ring gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 As far as I know the difference between 218 and 230 is the offset. The flywheel ring gear from your 218 should fit onto the 230. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P15-D24 Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 As far as I know the difference between 218 and 230 is the offset. The flywheel ring gear from your 218 should fit onto the 230. True if they have the same size clutch. Different part number for the 11" clutch than the standard clutch. If both have the 11" clutch they are a straight swap also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 True if they have the same size clutch. Different part number for the 11" clutch than the standard clutch. If both have the 11" clutch they are a straight swap also. Interesting. Does the 11" clutch flywheel have a bigger circumference? If not I wonder why the clutch plays into the ring gear being different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yergin Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) The 230 flywheel I am using had mounting holes for multiple clutch sizes. Jim Yergin Edited July 30, 2013 by Jim Yergin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40desoto Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 I was following but started getting confused at about the fourth reply! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yergin Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 I could also use a lead on finding the ring gear. Vintage Power Wagons sells the ring gear. http://www.vintagepowerwagons.com/pdf/parts/01engine.pdf Jim Yergin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P15-D24 Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Interesting. Does the 11" clutch flywheel have a bigger circumference? If not I wonder why the clutch plays into the ring gear being different. I don't think so. As Jim Y. noted usually they are drilled for both clutch sizes. Don't know why they have different part numbers, maybe thickness is slightly different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR-39D11 Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 True if they have the same size clutch. Different part number for the 11" clutch than the standard clutch. If both have the 11" clutch they are a straight swap also. Okay I got the correct 218 ring-gear for the 1950 truck 230 flywheel but the clutch diameter is larger than 218 clutch. Is the spine for the 230 truck the same as the 218 d11? Is there a Napa part #? Is it okay to only use four bolts to secure it to the crank as that is all I have from the 218? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Okay I got the correct 218 ring-gear for the 1950 truck 230 flywheel but the clutch diameter is larger than 218 clutch. Is the spine for the 230 truck the same as the 218 d11? Is there a Napa part #? Is it okay to only use four bolts to secure it to the crank as that is all I have from the 218? 4 bolts is fine but I do suggest you use bolts with enough shoulder to insure that the shoulder covers the sheer point and not threads. Pictured is what I used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarv69 Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 I had the same issue and pictured is my fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarv69 Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 Hi Don, I'm having to do the same thing to my bell housing, I'm actually bringing to the shop tomorrow to get a price, the 1st guy I went to didn't seem to know what he was doing, my questions to you if you don't mind, do you recall the depth yours was actually milled and do you recall what you were charged? Thanks- Jarv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD luxury liner Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 wow lets make this difficult... take the starter that fits the engine to a starter shop & remove the foot switch replace it with a stud. You can do a lot of work on the starter out of the car. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 Hi Don, I'm having to do the same thing to my bell housing, I'm actually bringing to the shop tomorrow to get a price, the 1st guy I went to didn't seem to know what he was doing, my questions to you if you don't mind, do you recall the depth yours was actually milled and do you recall what you were charged? Thanks- Jarv Suggest you measure the difference in the crankshaft flange and remove the same amount from the starter mounting boss. My numbers may differ from yours so you are better off to take your own measurements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarv69 Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 Thanks will do. You recall what you were charged? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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